


An Ex In Need

by BonDotCom



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Tumblr Prompt, another AU, mostly just fluff lbr
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 14:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6473110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BonDotCom/pseuds/BonDotCom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura's dad is getting married and her entire family is expecting to see Hollstein at the wedding - because Laura never told them Carmilla broke up with her. A desperate phone call later, Carmilla's inability to say no has her on Laura's arm again and hoping she can make it through the week without murdering anyone. Or possibly being murdered by Laura's dad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Ex In Need

**Author's Note:**

> “so like, i know we broke up and stuff but funny story, i haven’t told my family yet and they just assumed you’d be coming with me for [insert family celebration] and i really don’t know how to tell them and i know this is really selfish but i can’t break my great grandma’s heart like that, she’ll probably have a heart attack and– wait what? you’d do that for me? holy shit, i love you… wait–” AU
> 
> I saw this prompt and had feelings about my ship maybe you'll have feelings too.

" _Did you schedule the shuttle to the airport yet, pumpkin?_ "

"No, LaF is going to drop me off. They work on that side of town."

" _Well make sure they don't forget, you can't trust Uber drivers. Never know who you're gonna get._ "

"I know, I'll remind them closer to time. It's still two weeks until my flight." Laura put down the box she'd been carrying and switched the phone to her other shoulder. She missed part of what her dad was saying, but she could easily guess: He was fretting over something.

"... _and now my sense of time is so mixed up, I can't remember who’s coming in when. Grandma Margaret got in yesterday and I don't think she's once stopped talking about how excited she is to see 'her grandbabies’. It'd break her heart if she didn't get to because you were kidnapped._ " Laura was, in fact, Margaret’s only 'grandbaby’ - the only daughter of an only daughter. " _She's getting old, you know, her heart can't take it._ "

"I don't think I'd miss my dad's wedding for anything, Grandma’s heart should be safe." Laura rolled her eyes at Margaret’s offended retort in the background and her dad's rumbling laugh. "Don't you have more pressing things to worry about? Or are you just leaving it all for Brenda and grandma to do?"

" _I'm never too busy to worry about my little girl. Speaking of which, make sure you pack lots of warm clothes. The weather’s been unusually cold lately._ "

"Sure, dad." He started to say something else, but was interrupted by the sound of someone shouting in the distance on the other end of the line.

" _Uh, be there in a minute! Right, I gotta go help with dinner. Tell Carmilla to pack warm too, she never wears enough layers. Or enough clothes in general, usually. Makes me feel cold just looking at her sometimes._ "

"Of course, dad," Laura responds automatically before what he said actually sinks in. "Wait, no--"

" _Love you both!_ " And the line goes dead. Laura sputters for a few seconds, staring at her phone in her hand. Then she looks up, at the half-packed boxes around her in the apartment she once shared with Carmilla.

The apartment she hasn't seen Carmilla in for just over a month.

The apartment she's in the process of moving out of.

_Oh, she is so gonna have to lie to her dad._

\---

When Carmilla’s phone rings for the third time in the space of five minutes, she briefly considers answering it. 

When it rings for the tenth time within fifteen minutes, she wonders what could _possibly_ have Laura so desperate to contact her.

Is the world ending? Is the apartment on fire? Has she discovered that maybe she gives half a shit about someone she's _not_ writing a story about? No, no, the apocalypse scenario would be more likely. An elder god rising from the deep, maybe. The gates of hell opening. Something like that.

Around the fifteenth call, Mattie loses her temper and threatens to disembowel the phone or Carmilla, whichever one she reaches first. Carmilla elects to step out onto the balcony and answer it. 

At first she doesn't say anything, and instead listens to Laura's anxious mumble fading away as she realizes the line isn't ringing anymore. There's a second of hesitation, then a cautious, " _Carm?_ " 

Carmilla takes a deep breath and decides to focus on her anger, rather than the flood of relief at hearing Laura say her name again. "What do you want, Laura." 

" _Hey! H-how are you these days? Still all… Brooding and furious and, oh please don't hang up._ " She pinches the bridge of her nose and the anger becomes much easier to use.

"I imagine you would just call me again if I did, so there wouldn't be any point."

" _That's… Accurate._ " There's another long pause while she waits for Laura to continue.

"So?"

" _... So? Oh! Right! Why I called. It's. Um. Well. You see. So, funny story. My dad called this morning about my travel arrangements? To his wedding a few weeks from now? You might remember, we RSVP'd for it back before the, uh…_ " She coughs awkwardly. " _Before. And dad and Brenda were so happy we were coming and they might have mentioned to basically everyone that I'd be bringing you to the wedding because they like you so much and so many of my other relatives haven't met you and they didn't want anyone to be a jerk about me bringing a girl for my date, especially since we've been together for so long or-- or were together for so long or however I should say that now, and apparently Grandma Marge has been asking Dad when we’re getting into town because she got there yesterday and you're basically her favorite granddaughter and when dad told me she was so excited to see her grandkids - plural - it totally did not click that she meant me and you but of course she did and I only figured it out because dad asked me to tell you to pack more warm clothes because it's extra cold there and he still thinks you're coming because I've never really told my family that we split up since they like you better than me and they would completely take your side on it, which given the situation I can't say I blame them, but now I don't know what to do._" Laura stops to catch her breath, and over the course of that rant Carmilla’s hand has moved from pinching her nose to rubbing at her forehead and the headache slowly building there. _This girl_.

"Why don't you just call and tell them that we’re not coming together because _we're not together_? You know, like you should have told them in the first place. Problem solved." 

" _Well, because…_ " Laura trails off, likely trying to think of a reason that is actually a _good_ reason, and gives up with a huff. " _Because. And I especially can't tell them now because it's not exactly the best time. ‘Congratulations on your new marriage Dad, by the way my girlfriend you like so much walked out on me a month ago, so she can't make it to the wedding. Didn't want to mention it before.’ That’ll go over great._"

"Yes, because it's _my_ fault you don't communicate with anyone close to you."

" _That isn't-_ " Laura stutters in anger before she huffs out a sigh. " _Okay. Fine. If that's how it's going to be then that's just how it's going to be. I didn't call to have this fight again. I wanted to ask for your help, so it wouldn't be the most awkward weekend ever for everyone involved. I get that you don't want to help me after everything that happened and that's totally reasonable-_ " Carmilla snorts. " _-but I was hoping you would at least come and pretend to be civil so we can limit the damage. For everyone else’s sake if not for mine._"

"You _just_ said most of your relatives have never met me."

" _I know that, but Dad and Brenda and Grandma have and they're the only family I have that matter and they think you're just the best._ " Carmilla looks through the glass door of the balcony at Mattie, the only family _she_ has that matters, and sighs. There's a pause on Laura's end. She sounds less exasperated and more defeated when she starts again. " _Please, Carm. It would break Grandma’s heart if you weren’t there._ "

She wants to say so many things. _Family_ wasn’t this important to Laura a month ago when she wrote and published, despite Carmilla’s protests, the exposee on Corvae Corporation that lost Mattie her job and her role as chair of the company's board of governors. _Family_ wasn't this important to Laura years ago when she persuaded Carmilla to formally, legally cut off contact with her mother instead of just pretending she had fallen off a cliff. And playing the Grandma Margaret card was just a _low blow_.

But on the other hand, Carmilla was honestly much happier with Maman out of the picture. And Mattie (who was presently flipping through Netflix’s offerings on the TV) didn't seem all that concerned about getting her position back or, more likely, getting a better one. While Laura would often lose herself in whatever crusade she was on, she did try to do the right thing and help people. _Tried_ to. She often _failed_ , but at least she tried.

It was more than Carmilla would have done, before Laura came along.

"Fine." _She can't believe she's agreeing to this._ "Goddammit, what do you want me to do?"

" _Wait. Really?_ " Laura doesn't seem to believe it either. 

"Really. For Marge." A loud squeal of glee comes down the line and Carmilla winces.

“ _Oh my god Carm, you’re the best I could kiss you right now--_” She can practically hear Laura freezing up like an awkward deer in awkward headlights. “ _Uh. Not that. Not that I would. Of course._ ”

Carmilla rolls her shoulders and glares at the sky. _What did she ever do to deserve this?_ “Yeah yeah, don’t hurt yourself, creampuff. Remind me what flight you’re taking and I can go order a ticket.”

“ _Oh, I still have the tickets we ordered before. I hadn’t… Gotten around to cancelling yours yet. I’ll forward you the details, but it’s two weeks from yesterday. LaFontaine is dropping me off at the airport, I can ask them to pick you up too?_ ” It’s an olive branch. She knows it is. A weak attempt at a peace offering, but still a peace offering. However, there is not enough money, women, or alcohol in the world to persuade Carmilla to be in a small space with her ex and her ex’s _thoroughly vindictive_ best friend for an hour.

“No thanks, I'm pretty far out of their way. I’ll have Mattie drive me. She’s not doing anything else, obviously.” It's a cheap shot, but she doesn't especially care. "I assume your dad's picking us up in England?"

" _Yeah. We're still staying in his guest room, too._ " The excitement has left Laura's voice, and Carmilla tries not to feel sorry for her. It’s Laura's fault they're in this situation, she shouldn't get _pity_ for it. " _I can make some excuses and we can go to a hotel instead? If you- If you want a separate room._ "

 _She isn't allowed to project the wounded puppy image through the phone, it just isn't fair_. Carmilla softens her tone to feel like less of an ass. "No, that's fine. He'd know something was wrong if we changed our plans. I'm sure we can survive sharing a room for a week." Laura makes a sad hum of agreement, and Carmilla goes back to pinching the bridge of her nose. _If she can't stand up to five seconds of sad puppy Laura over the phone… Gods, this is the worst idea._ "I'll see you at the airport, okay?"

" _Yeah… Yeah, okay._ " She hangs up before she can dig herself a deeper hole and glares up at the sky until she can think straight again.

When she goes back inside, Mattie barely glances up before she chirps, "How _is_ the little croissant this evening?"

She mulls it over for a second. Mattie is either going to be livid she's helping Laura or tease her relentlessly for still being completely whipped. Probably both. No matter how it plays out, this conversation is going to be _annoying_. 

"So. Funny story."

\---

Laura has a very hard time deciding if she should order a second drink with lunch. They were just past the one hour mark on a two hour stopover in Munich, and the trip had been nothing but _tense_.

"Mattie sends her regards," Carmilla grumbled as she rolled into the gate for their first flight.

" _Regards_ ” here meant something closer to " _best wishes on your violent death,_ ” Laura was sure, but she didn't argue the point. Instead she was just grateful that airport security was between her and Mattie and soon the gap would be widened by a few countries.

They hardly spoke at all after that, even though Laura tried to strike up conversations about safe topics like the weather or what their present for her dad and new stepmother was. Carmilla’s answers had all been brief or snide, and although their flight was at noon and they were indoors she never took off her sunglasses. Trying to carry a conversation with no nonverbal cues other than a scowl and mirrored aviators was beyond even Laura's patience. She gave up on talking anything but business.

Once they worked out who got which seats on which flights they fell into an uneasy silence, and each turned to her own book. The trend of terse silence continued on the short flight from Graz to Munich, then as soon as they were allowed to disembark Carmilla was down the aisle and gone. With no sign of her anywhere in the terminal, Laura found a restaurant to have lunch in near the gate for their connecting flight, ordered some food and a stiff drink, and has been texting LaFontaine about the whole awful experience ever since.

 _ **L:** I don't know if I can get through another two hours of that._

_**LaFrankenstein:** You can't let her win, you've got this._

_**L:** I can count on my hands the number of actual words she said to me that entire flight! I'm pretty sure she's already winning._

Yeah, she's definitely going to need that second drink. She waves down a waitress.

 _ **LaFrankenstein:** Hey she'll have to behave around your family, right? You said she agreed to pretend nothing was wrong._

_**L:** I guess, but it's still going to be super awkward. _

_**L:** And are we pretending nothing is wrong as in speaking to each other or pretending nothing is wrong as in acting like a couple?_

_**LaFrankenstein:** You should ask her that._

_**L:** I will. Just as soon as she acknowledges I exist._

Maybe a third drink. No, then she might miss the plane. Ooh, _there's_ an idea.

_**L:** Maybe she'll miss the connecting flight and I won't have to worry about it. Or she could bail and take a flight back home._

_**LaFrankenstein:** Yeah, you'll just have to worry about explaining everything to your dad. That should go well._

_**L:** Would you stop making sense, I'm trying to dream here._

_**LaFrankenstein:** Just get some headphones or something for the next leg of the trip, two can play the cold shoulder game._

_**L:** She won't care, she prefers it when people ignore her._

**_LaFrankenstein:_** _She prefers it when strangers ignore her, but she hates it when *you* ignore her. She'll crack._

They do have a point. So, armed with a new set of earbuds from a kiosk and two mostly-just-gin martinis in her system, Laura arrives at the gate for the connecting flight just as boarding begins. She spots Carmilla trying to be inconspicuous toward the back of the crowd and purposefully positions herself closer to the front. As _conspicuously_ as she can.

The plan is, since Laura has the aisle seat on this flight, if she gets on the plane first Carmilla will _have_ to say something to ask her to move. And then, _and then_ , she can ignore her. Perfect revenge.

She stows her things, keeping her phone and headphones in her hands, and drops her coat into the empty seat between her and the window. She makes sure to take up as much space as possible, sprawling across the seat and slouching down so her knees reach the seat in front of her. While she waits for Carmilla to board the plane (likely at the very end of the line because she's a _jerk_ like that) she thinks through what kind of reaction she should expect. Will Carmilla take the bait and get angry? Maybe make a big scene about how petty this whole situation is? Or will she pretend she doesn't notice and just climb over Laura's legs, stubbornly refusing to break her silence? 

What she doesn't expect is for Carmilla to foil her plans altogether. Carmilla makes her way to their row, gives Laura and her sprawled posture an odd look as if _she's_ the one being unreasonable here, then turns into the empty pair of seats across the aisle. 

_So now, now Carmilla is cheating by changing her ticket. _

They worked it all out back in Graz - Carmilla got the aisle seat and the breathing room on the first flight, then she would be trapped against the window on the connection to Manchester and Laura would have a turn on the aisle. They _had_ flights that they were across an aisle from each other, but those were both on the way back. Or… No, wait. Were those split across each direction and Carmilla was penned in on the flight _back_ to Munich? Regardless, at _some_ point she was getting pinned against the window and she could just _deal_ with it.

 _Hah_ , _pinning Carmilla_ _against the window_. _That'd get a reaction out of her._

 _No. Focus. Time to focus_. _Stick to the plan._

Laura sits up straighter, actually gets _comfortable_ in her seat instead of just _big,_ and starts the playlist on her phone while ignoring Carmilla as hard as she can. When the crew announces they're ready to leave the terminal, there's no one else in the row - so no one for her to chat with and make this whole ignoring thing less obvious and petty. _Hmm_. Instead, she pointedly looks out the window and watches a luggage truck trundling along the runway like it was the most fascinating thing. Once they're in the air she can get her next book out of her carry-on and pretend to read, that'll be a bit easier. Carmilla, on the other side of the aisle, is pretending to doze - but Laura doesn't buy that for a second. It's only a matter of time until that disaffected facade crumbles. So, she waits.

And waits.

About an hour into the flight, she's starting to think that LaFontaine was wrong.

Carmilla has been peacefully sitting with her head tilted back against her seat, eyes closed, the entire time. She's made no effort to engage at all. After glancing over for the hundredth time to check if anything changed, Laura forgets about pretending to read and allows herself to just examine Carmilla for a moment. 

It still amazes her how little this beautiful, infuriating woman has changed since they broke up, even though it feels like everything else was thrown on its head. The sharp lines of her profile, the smooth curve of her neck, the way her chest barely moves with her breathing, how her legs ( _god, those legs_ ) are crossed to the best effect even in the narrow space.

The moment must have stretched on a bit longer than Laura initially thought, and she's startled out of her leering by Carmilla drily asking, "Can I _help_ you?"

"What? I- uh- No." Laura stutters as she scrambles to pick up the book she dropped in surprise.

"I wasn’t sure if you were staring at me for a reason." _Oh for the love of-- she’s never even opened her eyes_.

"I wasn't. I'm not always paying attention to you, y'know." Slowly, one eye opens to give her an unconvinced stare and an eyebrow goes up. Laura clears her throat and tries to control her tone. “Full of yourself much?"

"Mm, right. My mistake." Carmilla closes her eyes again and goes back to her neutral face. The closed-off one that Laura _hates_.

"I just--" She huffs an irritated sigh and yanks out an earbud. Carmilla only raises an eyebrow again. "I do have a question. About how this thing is going to go."

"Alright." To Laura's surprise, she actually turns her head to face the aisle and opens both eyes this time. She doesn't _say_ anything else, but there's an expectant expression on her face, so Laura considers that a win.

"When we talked before you agreed to act like everything’s okay while we're around my family but, like… How ' _okay_ ' is 'okay'?" Carmilla frowns a little ( _more like pouts a little_ ) at the question but doesn't immediately respond. Laura turns her body to face Carmilla better and starts talking with her hands. "Because, I mean, we were pretty _touchy_ as a couple and before today I haven't actually seen you in person in over a month, and you look _amazing_ by the way, but you’ve been barely tolerating me just _talking_ to you. So I don't know how we can possibly seem okay to anyone who _knows_ us if I have to stay three feet away from you at all times and not talk."

"I never said you have to stay away from me," Carmilla grumbles and rolls her eyes. Laura notices she doesn't say anything about the _not talk_ part of that complaint. "Look, I'm sorry I bolted when we got to Munich. I just... needed a minute. The last time we saw each other, I was just so..." She exhales sharply through her nose and shakes her head. So, still angry. _Great_. "And now we’re in the same space again, and off to play pretend for your entire family, just to save you an awkward confrontation.”

“It would be way more than one, and dad would mope for months,” Laura points out. Carmilla actually _laughs_.

“Fine, a weekend full of awkward confrontations and then dealing with Charlie’s heartbroken pouting.” For a second it’s like nothing happened - they smirk at each other in sync and Laura starts to reach for Carmilla - but then she remembers that flirting with Carmilla is not a thing she gets to do anymore. Carmilla must notice too, as she folds her hands in her lap instead of draping one over her armrest and into the aisle. “It-- It’s a bit of a jump, is all. I can't promise it'll be all sunshine and rainbows, but… I'll do my best."

"Sooo..." Laura tilts her head in thought, "I won't be dealing with angry ex-girlfriend the whole time, I'll have the awesome supportive girlfriend again? For a little while?" The look on Carmilla’s face says exactly what she thinks of that suggestion. "No? Okay. How about, uh… Mad-I-used-all-her-soymilk girlfriend? Orrrr... At-least-not-going-to-kill-me-in-my-sleep girlfriend?"

Carmilla snorts and rolls her eyes. "Sure. Whatever you need. Now if you don’t mind, I was trying to take a nap over here."

“Right! Yes, of course. I’ll just, uh.” Laura gestures awkwardly, before collecting herself and turning to face forward in her seat again. Carmilla settles back into her previous position, head tipped back against her seat and eyes closed. A couple minutes later, Laura risks a glance across the aisle and thinks she sees a tiny smile on Carmilla’s face - still just _pretending_ to sleep. “Thank you, Carm.”

“Don’t mention it, cutie,” she mutters with a definite smirk.

\---

Carmilla is texting Mattie to say she’s landed in Manchester when the trouble starts.

“Dad's already here act natural,” Laura whispers, immediately before her arm slips around Carmilla's waist and pulls them closer together. She's about to ask exactly what part of _I'll do my best_ lead Laura to think she had consented to this level of contact, when Laura calls out “Daddy, you made it!”

“There's my girls!” Carmilla puts on a disaffected face to cover her growing anxiety and looks up to find Charlie grinning and waving at them.All six-plus feet, two hundred something pounds of barrel-chested Fire Chief Charlie Hollis. Laura pulls away to run ahead into his outstretched arms, and Carmilla is relieved for the distance. The relief doesn't last, quickly replaced with a reminder of how small and breakable she is as Charlie lifts a squealing Laura into the air with a bear hug and zero effort. _Oh gods, this is the worst idea._

“Carmilla!” He sets Laura back on the ground and holds an arm out for her, keeping the other around Laura's shoulders. “Get over here already, I haven't seen you in forever either.”

“That's alright Charlie, I like my bones where they are.” She offers a hand for him to shake instead, and he does so with the same indulgent grin he always gives her. _How odd, he actually doesn't know._ She smiles back, switching her mask to etiquette and charm instead now that she knows she isn't dead yet. “It’s always good to see you.”

Laura beams at her, still hugging Charlie around the torso. “We were just here for Christmas, dad, it hasn't been that long.”

“And those have been the longest three months since you moved away for college.” The noise Laura makes might be a belabored groan or it might just be that he squashes all the air out of her lungs with another crushing hug. Carmilla is glad she kept her distance.

“You say that every time,” Laura groans when she can breathe again. She pushes against his chest to get some space and hands him her backpack. “Hold this for me, I’ll go find our luggage.”

Laura pushes her way into the crowd around the conveyors, and Carmilla slips her bag off as well to set it next to Charlie. Before she can get away, though, a large hand claps on her shoulder. “So, Carmilla.” She will never admit to the pure terror that sets her spine in a straight line, hearing that tone from the enormous man. The stern look on his face doesn’t help the fear she’s trying (and failing) to keep off her own. “After this weekend I’ll be married to someone I met _after_ you and Laura got together. Are you planning on making an honest woman out of my girl someday, or were you just waiting for me to go first?”

It takes a second for what Charlie said to register, and another second for her to remember she needs to breathe. He bursts out laughing at her relieved gasp, and drops his hand. She pushes her hair back and shoves her bag at him. “Christ, Charlie, all this wedding stuff has seriously gone to your head.” 

“I’m sorry,” he laughs, sounding not remotely sorry, “You should have seen the look on your face. What did you think I was going to say?”

 _Oh, just that you would grind me into dust because I broke your daughter’s heart._ “I don’t know, certainly not _that_.” He’s still snickering as he puts her bag down next to Laura’s.

“How else am I going to get any grandkids? She’s my only shot.” 

“You know fully well you’re getting no grandchildren out of us. I’d expected better of you.” She shakes her head at him, and at herself for the brief image of Laura with a dark-haired child that flits across her mind. “Stay out of trouble, I’m going to go help her.”

She leaves him with their bags and finds Laura in the crowd. She’s hauling one of their suitcases off the machine, and Carmilla narrowly manages to dodge the bag dropping onto her toes. “There you are,” Laura sighs. She looks back toward her dad, who is on his phone and looking out the windows. “What did Dad want?”

“He asked me if we’re getting married next.” Carmilla scowls up the conveyor belt looking for their other bags, as Laura chokes. “I told him the wedding is going to his head.”

“Good. That’s a good answer.” Carmilla gives her a curious look and finds Laura nodding to herself, only halfway to a nervous break. “We’ll be getting asked that all over the place, and… Oh no.”

“What?” Laura shakes her head and steps around Carmilla to pick up another bag instead of answering. When she looks like her thoughts might be back on this planet Carmilla tries again, “What’s wrong?”

“If it took dad all of five seconds to ask you when we’re getting married, I can’t imagine how bad Grandma’s going to be.” Carmilla laughs at Laura’s expression of pure dread and grabs her own suitcase. “No, Carm, this is serious. You can’t leave me alone with her.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, I might miss all the fun.” She picks up her second bag off the conveyor and smirks meanly at Laura. Because she is a bad person, she lowers the tone of her voice to add, “You know how I love watching you squirm.” 

Laura's mouth drops open slightly and Carmilla turns to saunter away. “That- that's not fair.” She glances back over her shoulder to check which part isn't fair and catches Laura staring at her hips. _Excellent._ Still, she decides to be merciful and address the other half of the double entendre, with her regular voice.

“You didn't protect me from Charlie, why should I save you from Marge? Come on, we're not living at the airport.” 

Laura mutters something indignant like _we aren’t living anywhere_ but it’s lost in the noise of the crowds. Then they're close enough for Charlie to start in on a stream of questions about their flight, do they need to pick up anything on the way to the house, are they hungry, on and on and on. Carmilla’s antisocial habits turn out to be a gift in this situation - there's nothing unusual about her slipping into the back seat of the car and letting Laura answer all the questions from the front. Other than a few direct questions for her (“ _Did you pack warm, Carmilla?_ ” _Yes, sir, Laura told me you were concerned._ ) she has no problem quietly fading into the background while the Hollises catch up on everything from television shows to what order the groomsmen are to stand in. 

Laura got her talkative nature from her father, that's for certain.

It’s harder to avoid attention when they get to Charlie’s house, essentially a small mansion in the countryside. (Mattie called it _aggressively British_ when she’d seen it in pictures, and Carmilla had to agree.) They’re barely through the front door when she hears Margaret calling from down a hallway “There's my lesbians!”

Laura rolls her eyes with a groan, and Carmilla puts her bags down just in time for Margaret to crash into her for a hug. “Marge, how are you,” she puffs with some difficulty. While Charlie could crush someone's bones with muscle and bulk, Marge has the supernatural strength of a wiry little old lady. 

“Millie, I'm so happy you made it!" She crows from somewhere by Carmilla's shoulder. Laura makes an _I told you so_ face at Carmilla over Marge's head, and Carmilla glares in return. Marge pulls away enough to give Carmilla a conspiratorial smirk as she lowers her voice to add, “It’s been so tedious without you here to mock everyone with me.”

Carmilla grins at her. “That is my specialty.”

Laura clears her throat loudly. “I'm here too, grandma,” she complains, though she can't quite keep herself from smiling.

“Laura, my sweet girl! I haven't forgotten about you.” Marge turns to squeeze the life out of Laura as well. “I missed you too.”

“It’s alright,” Laura grunts through the pressure, “I understand I'm not your favorite grandchild anymore.”

“Don’t be silly, you girls are tied.” Margaret steps back and takes one of Carmilla’s hands and one of Laura's. “You're a matching set. Wouldn't be the same to have one and not the other.”

If Margaret notices the uneasy glance Laura and Carmilla share at the implication, she doesn't say anything. She does, however, raise her eyebrows at them with a pointed look and turn to lead them away.

“So! Brenda is in the kitchen, you should come say hello before you get settled in. Supper will be ready soon, so we'll go there first. Your room is down the same hall as mine, Charlie was going to put me next door to you girls but I didn't think you’d want a repeat of last time so I moved down a couple doors.” Laura and Charlie both make the same embarrassed choking noise, which Margaret ignores and continues talking. Carmilla just smiles smugly at Laura, earning herself a nice glare in return. 

_Well. Maybe this won't be so bad after all._

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on Tumblr @fanonzii come say hi!


End file.
